


Pleasantly Surprised

by ArtInMotion



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Bucky Hates The Cold, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Not Canon Compliant, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-24
Updated: 2019-05-24
Packaged: 2020-03-13 19:25:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18947320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArtInMotion/pseuds/ArtInMotion
Summary: Prompt: Bucky, typically the mother hen of the three, is injured and the other two get a turn to mother him. Rating up to E-Most days, Bucky knows what kind of day he’s going to have by the end of his morning run. Today for instance has all the makings of an awful day. It starts the moment he wakes up alone tangled in the sheets of a cold bed. Steve is on a mission, not due back until tonight, and Tony has been in the lab for two days on the brink of “something big, Snowdrop” with his top secret project.





	Pleasantly Surprised

**Author's Note:**

> Hey!  
> I hope you like it! I took some liberties, but I think it turned out ok.  
> This was not beta'ed, so all mistakes are mine (feel free to point them out).  
> Enjoy!

Most days, Bucky knows what kind of day he’s going to have by the end of his morning run. Today for instance has all the makings of an awful day. It starts the moment he wakes up alone tangled in the sheets of a cold bed. Steve is on a mission, not due back until tonight, and Tony has been in the lab for two days on the brink of “something big, Snowdrop” with his top secret project.

After fighting through his egyptian cotton prison, Bucky gets up to have a cup of tea before his morning run. Where there should be tea, he finds a note from Tony:  
“I needed to keep Bruce from taking breaks outside the lab, so I brought all the tea down. Don’t worry, there is some of your favorite being delivered at the usual time!  
Love you lots,  
Tones”

Bucky out loud groans and glances at the digital time display on the oven. It’s only fucking six. Usually he waits for Steve get up around 7:30, so that they can have tea and coffee respectively, then go for their morning run together. When he woke up fifteen minutes ago in an empty bed, there had been no point to waiting. Now he’s going to be able to go back to bed, and having the delivery pushed up seems like too much hassle, so he suffers through it and leaves for his run.

Of fucking course, he forgets to check the weather report. He generally does that while he waits for his tea to steep. Had he known there was a fucking thunderstorm brewing, he would’ve gone to the gym instead, but no. Of fucking course he is a full 11 miles away from the tower when it starts, and it’s fucking freezing. The problem isn’t that his body can’t withstand colder temperatures (it definitely can), he just hates it. He decides by mile nine that this is going to bad day. By the time he makes it back, he is soaked down to the bone and he can feel his mind beginning to fray at the edges. 

Usually after a run, he’d eat breakfast, but right now a nice warm shower definitely takes priority. Bucky wastes no time gathering clothes or a towel; that can all wait. First he needs to get warm. He waits only as long as it takes for the water not to be cold before stepping in. The relief is immediate, and he takes a moment to bask in the warmth before going picking up his shampoo and going through the motions of showering. Just after rinsing out his conditioner, the power goes out. Any tension he’d managed to rid himself of was back with a vengeance, and his mind slips a little bit more.

He shuts the water off before silently making his way into their shared bedroom to grab the hand gun from under the bed. After slipping on a pair of sweats, Bucky methodically makes his way through the floor in search of any intruders. He only makes it as far as the kitchen before the power flashes back on and JARVIS’ voice fills the room, “Sergeant Barnes, the tower has not been infiltrated. Sir and Dr. Banner have merely caused a power surge. They apologize for the inconvenience”. 

A power surge. The adrenaline of near combat seems to drain from his body all at one. Of course it was just a power surge, the tower has never been invaded. It’s perfectly safe. Bucky knows this. He’s been over the security plans and measures countless times to make sure, but here he is half naked, still wet, carrying a weapon around their home. He hates that his mind can still get the best of him after all of his supposed “recovery”. Bucky trudges back to the bedroom where he puts the gun on the bedside table and climbs into the (still empty) bed. He doesn’t bother drying off or anything, but he is careful to avoid Tony and Steve's pillows with his wet hair. Sleep proves to be elusive on his good days, so Bucky knows that his chances don’t look good. Instead, he just lays on his left side and stares at the door. He prefers to sleep on his stomach or right side, but he is still a little bit too paranoid to turn his back to the door.

-

About two hours after the blackout, Tony and Bruce are locked in a heated debate about the most efficient way to prevent another one when Tony stops mid sentence and asks JARVIS for the time, “It is currently 11:23 AM.”

Bruce looks at him like he’s grown a second head, “Is this your way of trying to end the argument? We both know that you don’t care what time it is Tony. It could be three in the morning, and you would still be here trying to prove your point.”

“Bucky never brought breakfast.” Tony looks towards the door, puzzled, “He always brings breakfast after their morning run if I’m still in the lab to make sure that I’m not starving down here.”

“Maybe he’s still cooking, or maybe his run lasted longer than usual today,” Bruce replies.

Tony hums thoughtfully, “JARVIS, what is Bucky bear up to?”

“Sergeant Barnes appears to be sleeping in the penthouse.”

The engineer’s eyebrows shoot up, “Still? Did he get up this morning? Is he ok?”

Tony is already saluting to Bruce and making his way to the elevator as JARVIS speaks, “Yes sir. The Sergeant was awake for approximately four hours before returning to bed after what appeared to be a minor episode. His vitals are stable but increasing. He appears to be experiencing the beginnings of a nightmare. I have initiated Nightmare Protocol.”

“No need J, I’ll handle it. In the future notify me or Steve, whoever’s closest, during an episode. Override any Do Not Disturb Protocols.”

“Yes sir.”

The elevator door open into the living room, and Tony briskly makes his way too to the bedroom. Upon opening the door, he finds that Bucky is indeed having a nightmare. Alone on the bed, all curled into himself, he looks small, and Tony’s chest aches. He is so full of love for this man. Before Steve, before Bucky, Tony did not know that his heart could hold this much love. Times like these, he is eternally grateful for the chance to know and love these men while still being acutely aware that he has nothing to deserve them. It’s a strange dichotomy.

Tony pushes these thoughts aside as he carefully approaches the bed. It only takes laying his hand on Bucky’s flesh shoulder to startle the man awake, “Hey Bucky bear. Rough day?” The man rolls onto his back to make room for Tony to sit. Once he does, the super soldier wiggles until his head rests in Tony’s lap. A chuckle escapes the engineer’s lips as he begins to gently work his fingers through Bucky’s still damp hair, “You know, for a super scary enhanced assassin, you sure are cuddly.”

He looks up at Tony through his lashes, “You were gone when I woke up this morning. The sheets were cold.”

It feels like his chest is cracking open as he watches his partner struggle to be vulnerable. Of course, going into this relationship, they had all known that communication was going to be vital to sustaining a healthy and fulfilling relationship. Knowing this hadn’t made it any easier. They all trusted one another with their lives, but being able to get vulnerable was another thing entirely. After three years of practice, they are getting better at it, and it makes Tony’s chest swell with pride for the man in his lap. He can’t resist bending over to drop a kiss on his forehead.

“I am sorry. Last night I should have found a stopping point and come to bed. I’ll do my best in the future.” Bucky hums contently.

“Do you wanna talk about the nightmare or the episode? Was there a trigger?”

Bucky shakes his head, but reconsiders and begins speaking anyways, “Today has been a bad day. Honestly, I don’t remember much about the nightmare, but I think that it was just a continuation of how I’ve been feeling all day. I’ve felt alone and cold all day, so the blackout just kind of pushed my over the edge.” The soldier pauses, and Tony continues his gentle menstrations, giving him time to untangle his thoughts.

“Sometimes I feel so useless. Logically I know that it’s ok to need and ask for help, but I also know that as a grown man I should be able to wake up alone every once in a while and be ok. Everyone keeps telling me that recovery isn’t linear and that I’m doing well, but it doesn’t feel that way.”

Tony urges Bucky into sitting in front of him and takes both of his hands, “You are one of the strongest people that I know. It’s more than ok to miss us when you wake up. That doesn’t make you useless. I know that you get sick of hearing this, but just existing as a human being gives you intrinsic value. Even on the days that staying in the present is exhausting, you are far from useless. We set such awful standards for ourselves. For me it’s generally with my work. Sometimes it feels like I have to make some new advancement or stride in my work everyday for me to be successful, but that’s ridiculous. I have so many achievements I don't know what to do with them. Most of all though, I have you and Steve. I’m not always sure that I deserve to have your love, but I trust you. And for some reason, you choose to keep me around. On my bad days, that’s what keeps me sane. My love for you.”

Bucky tips forward to press his mouth firmly against Tony’s, “I love you.”

“I know,” Tony rests his forehead on Bucky’s, “I love you too. Now, I am going to take a quick shower and order thai while you pick out a few movies. Then we are going to cuddle on the couch, so I can lavish you with all of the attention and care you deserve until Steve gets home tonight. At which point we will hopefully have great reunion sex. How does that sound?”

Bucky kisses one of Tony’s laugh lines, “That sounds like heaven.”

Most days, Bucky knows what kind of day he’s going to have by the end of his morning run, but sometimes he is pleasantly surprised.

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback and kudos are appreciated  
> Thanks, have a good day!
> 
> Alex


End file.
